1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor apparatus with a semiconductor light emitting device such as light emitting diode and laser diode, or a photoreceptor such as photo diode mounted thereon.
2. Description of the Related Art
A semiconductor light emitting device such as light emitting diode and laser diode is mounted on a support member, and thus a semiconductor apparatus is configured. This can protect the semiconductor light emitting device from the environmental influence, and provide an electrical connection to external electrode terminals. As such a support member, a support member of a ceramic material with high light resistance and durability is used. In addition, in order to protect a semiconductor device provided on this type of support member from environmental influence, the semiconductor device is coated with a transparent resin.
For example, in a semiconductor apparatus disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication TOKUKAI No. HEI 11-74561, a semiconductor device is disposed in a recessed portion of a support member, and a silicone resin as a coating member fills in the recessed portion to seal the semiconductor device. In addition, in order to prevent peeling-off of the silicone resin, which has low bonding characteristics with a ceramic material, the support member of a ceramic material includes retaining means for fixedly retaining the silicone resin in the recessed portion. The retaining means protrudes inwardly within the recessed portion, and engages with the periphery of the silicone resin provided in the recessed portion.
Accordingly, the coating member is not peeled off from the support member, and thus it is possible to provide a highly reliable semiconductor apparatus. The ceramic support member with this type of retaining means can be relatively easily formed by burning laminated structural component of various ceramic green sheets having holes with different aperture diameters.